Outlet-box fitting.



A. COGGESHALL 6I H. C. SCHNAKE.

OUTLET BOX FITTING.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 2, I9I6.

Patented July 10, 1917.

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To all 'whom t may concern:

Beit known that we N CoeensnALL, States of America, residing at Pleasantville, county of Westchester, and State of New York and HENRY C. SeHNAxn, a citizen of the nited States of America, and residin inthe city, county,

fand State of New Yor have invented a certain new and Improved Outlet-Box Fitting, of which the following is a specication.

, Our invention relates to outlet box fittings and particularly to a ittin adapted to receive'an attachment plug, t e obJect of our invention being to provide an inexpensive receptacle titting with which a readily detachable plu connection to a branch lead from the out et box may be established.

ln the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a more or less diagrammatic elevation of an instalment in which our invention is illustratively embodied;

Fig. 2`is a cross section through an outlet box showing our improved iittmg in position therein and partly in section;

Figs. 3 and 4 are respectively rear and front elevations of the fitting; a

Fi 5 is a detached perspective of a termina of the fitting.

`Where an exposed conduit is employed in electrical installation,V outlet boxes frequently form the supports for pendant iixtures such as lightmg fixtures arran ed above machines or the like. ln the insta lation of such a xture the connection to the main is commonly made by soldering.

the .branch wires to the mains within the outlet box. lt not infrequently happens however that v these fixtures have to be changed, and when `such is the case it -is necessary to break the soldered connection Within the outlet. box and to reestablish a like connection with the branch wires of the substituted fixture. rllhese operations are diiiicult to perform in a neat and workvmanlike manner and are under all circumstances time-consuming and expensive. .Furthermore, it has heretofore been necessary toA delay the wiring 'installation in a new building .until the machinery is in place, in order that the outlet box and its pendant xture may be properly located with relation -to the A machineryf It is awkward to work above Application led February 2, 1916. We., 'www machine and moreover dirt and grit are apt to fa into the latter.

The present invention not only avoids the mconveniences accom anying a change of ittings, but also permlts the wiring installatlon to be completed at any suitable time during the construction of the building ndbef'ore the machinery is placed in posiion.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the lightlng ixture comprises a pipe suspended by cap 11 from a hook 12 attached tothe ceiling. A lamp 13 and reflector 14 are secured 1n an desired manner to the lower end of the fixture pipe. The branch w 1re leadingI to the lamp socket enters the pipe 10 through an aperture 15 in the cap 11 and carries at its outer end an attachment plug 16. 'llhe latter is adapted to cooperate with the litting 17, to whichl the invention in particular relates. This fitting is mounted within the outlet box 18 of common construction and forming the terminus of the conduit 19 through which the wire mains are led to the outlet box.

The fitting 17, as here shown, comprises a block of insulation squared atene mar 'n to tit against the bottom 20 of the out et box and hold it against rotation and having also a circular boss 21 rejecting through one of the regular knoc out holes 22 in the wall of the outlet box. The boss 21 is tpreferably rovided with an external threa 23 adap to receive a lock nut 24 between which and thewall of the outlet box is interposed an insulating washer 25. Wire terminals 26 and 27 are mounted upon the inner face of the insulating block and afford means for connecting thereto the mainsv 28. The terminal lates 26 and 27 arepreferably arranged su stantially parallel to the base of the outlet box and the bindfao the receptacle terminals 29 'and 30. As here shown, these chambers are independent of each other.

In order to prevent possiblel detachment` of the attachment plug 16, owing to v1bration, we provide a cap 31, the skirt of `which is internally threaded at 32 to engage the thread 23 on the boss 21. Thus after the -terminals of the attachment plug have been shoved home within the contact chambers of the boss 21 and electrical connection. with the terminals 29 and 30 established, the cap 31 may be pushed down over vthe plug and screwed onto the boss 21, thus holding the plu against accidental detachment.

Vhen it is desired to change a lighting fixture 10 it,` is only necessary to unscrew the cap' 31, withdraw the attachment plug 16, and lift the 'fixture from its supporting hook 12, 4whereupon a new 'fixture maybe substituted and its attachment plug inserted in the boss 21 to establish connection to the mains.` p

It is obvious that the conduit installation and the outlet boxes 18, with the fittings 17 in place therein, may be installed at any convenient' time during the .erection of the building, while the supporting hooks 11` may lbe located after the machinery has been installed. Suiiicient wire for the attachment plu 16 is provided to permit the latter to reac the nearest' outlet box 18 and make connection with the fitting 17.

j The fitting 17 is of such construction that it maylbe installed in outlet boxes of standvardftype and as many` of the fittings as may vbe desired may be mounted in each outlet box, or even in the cover thereof, where the coverA is provided with a knock-out aperture, as is commonly the case. j l

In addition to the features of advantage aboveA mentioned, it may be further pointed out that lthis outlet box receptacle affords ready means for the attachment of the exf ticular details illustrated, which maybe variously modified without departing from whatwe claim as our invention.

,We claim as our invention 1. An outlet box fitting comprising a relatively shallow insulating body fitting Aagainst a side wall. of the outlet box and havingr a vboss projecting through an aperture in said side wall, means engaging said Y ing from the .boss exterior to the box to hold the fitting in position, jack-receiving terminals arranged 1n saldboss and accessible to the jacks of a coperatlng attachment plugexterior to the box, and wire terminals on the body of the fitting within the box and electrically connected to said jackreceiving terminals.

2. An outlet box fittingcomprising an insulating body fitting against a side wall of the outlet box, wire terminal plates projectinner face of said body in a direction substantially parallel to the bottom of the box, binding screws projecting through said terminal plates toward the bottom of the box for connection to lead wires within the box, j ack-receiving terminals carried by said body and arranged in register with an aperture in the wall of the box against which the body rests, and means for lecuring said body in position within the 3. An outlet box fitting comprising a relatively shallow insulating body fitting against a perforated side Wall of the outlet box and having a boss projecting through said aperture, means exterior to the box engaging said boss to hold the fitting in osition, wire terminal plates projectmg om the inner face of said body substantially parallel to the bottom of the box, jack-receivin terminals arranged in said boss and accessiy le to the jacks of a coperating attachment plug exterior to the box, said jackreceiving terminals and wire terminals being electrically connected.

4.-. An outlet box fitting comprising a relatively shallow insulating base fitting against the side Wall of the box and having on its outer face a boss adapted to project through an aperture in the wall of the outlet box, said base and boss being perforated in register,a wire terminal plate mounted on the inner face of said base and a receptacle terminal extending therefrom into said perforation to coperate with the jack of a cooperatngplug together with means for securing said base in position within the box.

5. An outlet box fitting comprising a relatively'shallow insulating base havin on its outer face a boss' adapted to project t rough an aperture in the wall of the outlet box, said base and boss being perforated in register,v a wire terminal plate mounted on the inner face of said base and a receptacle terminal extending therefrom into said perforation to coperate with the jack of a cooperating plug, together with a clamping ring screwed on said boss exterior to the wall of the box and serving to secure said base in position therein.

' 6. An outlet box fitting comprising a relatively shallow insulatin base having on its outer face a boss adapte to project through an aperture in the wall of the outlet box, said ase-and boss being perforated in regvent swiveling `of the fitting within the ox,

an externally threaded boss on said body adapted to project through an aperture in the wall of the box, a clamping nut threaded on the bossto hold the fitting in position, wire terminals on the fitting within the box and receptacle contacts electrically connected therewith and projecting boss, said contacts being accesslble to the contacts of a coperating attachment plug into said l external to the box, substantially as de-` scribed.

8. An outlet box fitting comprisin an insulating body fitting within the out et box and having an externally threadedv boss adapted to project through an aperture in the wall of the box, receptacle contacts carried by the fitting and accessible to the contacts of a coperating attachment plug, together with a screw cap completely mclosing the body of said attachment plug and havin a threaded engagement with said boss to ho d the plug in assembled position with relation to the tting.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names .to this specification, in the presence of two subscribin witnesses.

AL COGGES l L. mN'RY C. SCAJKE. 

